January 6, 2012 (Alpine) -- In  December, the “Alpine Squares” square dance club held their 27th annual Christmas Sock Hop for the benefit of Rady Children’s Hospital.  Over $3700 was raised at this event, to be used for recreational therapy for the severely medically challenged children being treated there.  The dance was co-sponsored again by Toyota of Santee, and held at their showroom.

 
January 4, 2012 (San Diego) --In the beginning of its second year, the San Diego Veterans For Peace (SDVP) group’s Compassion Campaign has coordinated the efforts of a few dedicated veterans in an effort to help some of the most needy veterans. The Compassion Campaign established in December 2010, is the nonprofit group’s crusade to provide sleeping bag sets and waterproof gear to San Diego’s homeless population.

 
A former mortgage industry insider from La Mesa shares why he joined the Occupy movement

Story and photos by Ron Logan

 On December 19, I sat down with Mike Garcia at Downtown Johnny Brown's at the Civic Center Plaza. Garcia is a La Mesa resident and Committee Member of Occupy San Diego (OSD). I asked him some straight-forward questions. His answers were eye-opening and offered insight into what OSD is all about, its struggles and its evolutions-- and how he first became involved in early October.

January 1, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Rose Hooper and her two teenage children lost their Jamul home in a fire December 29, two years after Rose’s husband died of cancer. Now Nick Baldwin, an El Cajon business owner, has started a drive to collect donated items to help this family in need.

"This is my neighbor and I want to help," Baldwin said. Donated blankets, warm clothes, coats, gift cards, and other needed items may be dropped off to Scar Offroad, 930 East Washington Avenue in El Cajon, or call his shop at 619-966-9935 to arrange a drop-off at Baldwin’s home in Jamul.

 Travels in time to Bucuresti, Romania

A La Mesa woman seeks an angel investor to buy her home—saving her disabled mother and a recently homeless friend from being thrown out in the streets

By Miriam Raftery
 

December 14, 2011 (La Mesa) –Mary Sweeney needs an angel. Like many Americans, the automotive industry consultant lost her home to foreclosure in the down economy. The lender, IAF Pension Inestments LP in San Diego, has given Sweeney notice to vacate by December 31—along with her wheelchair-bound 83-year-old mother. Her mother’s caretaker, a formerly homeless woman helped by Sweeney also faces the prospect of being on the streets come New Year’s. So do the family’s three dogs and a cat.
 

“I am a Christian and I still believe it may be possible to find an investor to buy our home from the lender and lease or sell it back to me, so Mom can stay here and I can implement the residential care plan I have worked on for two years,” said Sweeney, who purchased the home at 10545 Grandview Drive on Mount Helix for her mother 17 years ago. “She is heartbroken.”

 
December 11, 2011 (San Diego) --  On Saturday, December 3, the Mission Trails Regional Park Foundation held its annual Arbor Day by planting 10 oak trees and 10 shrubs along the Oak Grove Trail. 

Global humanitarian organization served over 230 people, including 160 children, with holiday gifts and community health resources

December 8, 2011 (San Diego, CA) -- PCI (Project Concern International) and the Strong, Healthy Empowered (SHE) group of PCI volunteers hosted their third annual Santa party and health fair in collaboration with PCI’s California Border Healthy Start (CBHS) Program on December 7, 2011 at the Jacobs Market Creek Plaza.  Other community agencies that participated include Logan Family Health Center at Logan Heights, American Red Cross WIC, La Maestra Family Health Center at National City, and the Family Health Centers at Lemon Grove.

Photos By Miriam Raftery

December 8, 2011 (Alpine) – Viejas Casino Team Members and guests have donated more than 3,000 toys for the Salvation Army serving eastern San Diego and western Imperial Counties.

Viejas Casino announced the grand total of 3,231 toys donated this holiday season by team members and guests at the annual Salvation Army Holiday Party and Auction, held last night at the DreamCatcher at Viejas Casino.

 The center for adults with developmental disabilities urges supports to give BIG on December 14-15

 
The mission is to strengthen and enhance services to those with developmental disabilities in San Diego County

November 29, 2011 (Chula Vista) -- Even in challenging economic times, people do the right thing. On June 30, 2011, a construction worker at Sharp Hospital in Chula Vista found $700 in cash. He brought the money to a hospital staff member, who notified police.

November 25, 2011 (Alpine) -- Gretchen Rossi of Bravo's hit reality series "The Real Housewives of Orange County" will join 11 other local celebrities at Viejas Casino on Monday, November 28 in a Celebrity Slot Tournament at Viejas Casino.  100 percent of the winnings from the tournament, which begins at 10:30 a.m., will be donated to the local Salvation Army.

 The list of confirmed celebrities for the slot tournament include sports stars, TV news anchors and more: 

Firefighter who saved kitten will adopt it, if owner not found

Story by Miriam Raftery

Photos by El Cajon Police Captain Jim Redman

November 24, 2011 (El Cajon )—A Thanksgiving day rescue tale--or should we say "tail",  has a happy ending.  El Cajon Firefighters have saved a kitten that became trapped several feet down an old electrical plastic pipe at the corner of Washington and Avocado Avenues in El Cajon.

November 24, 2011 (San Diego)—Do you have an extra meal to spare as a Thanksgiving dinner for a homeless person? 

Jennifer Hughes, a local attorney, is partnering with friends at a local Buddhist temple to deliver Thanksgiving dinners to the homeless.  Hughes has offered to arrange pick up of meals before 4 p.m. today to deliver them to those in need. For pickup, call 619-840-7797.  Alternatively, donated food may be delivered to the temple before 5 p.m.

 November 20, 2011 (Santee) -- Parker,  the puppy whose former owner paid $1,000 for her at a pet store only to abandon her a few weeks later when she broke her leg, was adopted into a new home on November 18. The energetic Beagle/Boston Terrier mix pup, marketed by a pet store as a “Boggle,” is recovering from specialized surgery for a broken leg. 

 November 16, 2011 (El Cajon) – Kaitlin Ortmeier, 16, a Junior at Granite Hills High School, was promoted to NSCC Cadet Chief Petty Officer at a ceremony at the Naval Amphibious Base in Coronado on November 13. The rank of the Chief Petty Officer or CPO is the highest rank a cadet can earn, and the equivalent of Scouting’s “Eagle” rank.

Story by Nadin Abbott

Photos by Nadin Abbott and Jennifer Douglas

November 12, 2011 (San Diego)—Over a hundred women walked from the other side of Third Avenue downtown, pushing wheelbarrow and carrying trash bags filled with supplies such as dry socks. The rain came down hard, soaking them. Many East County women were among the crowd, including a Jamul mother and her son.

They chanted “We are the ninety-nine percent,” and “Banks got bailed out, we got sold out.” The occupiers peeked out from under plastic tarps, or came out from whatever cover they were allowed by San Diego Police, and cheered. To them, it was a surprise. A few faces, filled with emotion, had tears. View a video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcsc5PXsJts

 By Ray M. Wong

November 9, 2011 (El Cajon) -- Imagine working for the President of the United States, consulting with him personally and being responsible for the artwork and design of his whole reelection campaign. Josh Higgins doesn’t have to pinch himself awake from the dream. He’s living it.

Higgins studied graphic design at San Diego City College from 1999 to 2002. He has done design work for Fender Guitars, Hewlett Packard and Perry Ellis International. His artwork has helped San Diego County fire victims. Now he’s the Design Director for Barack Obama’s 2012 campaign.    

By Millicent Arko

November 9, 2011 (San Diego)-- Computers 2 San Diego Kids, known as C2SDK, refurbishes used computers and distributes them to eligible families at little or no cost to the recipients.  If you or your business is upgrading equipment, you can donate your previous models, helping families in need and assisting children to learn literacy skills.